Puppy teething can be challenging for both puppies and their owners. Understanding this natural developmental phase helps you provide appropriate relief while protecting your belongings and teaching appropriate chewing habits.
The Teething Timeline
Birth to 3 Weeks: Puppies are born without teeth. At approximately 3 weeks, deciduous (baby) teeth begin erupting. By 6-8 weeks, puppies typically have 28 baby teeth—incisors, canines, and premolars.
12-16 Weeks: Baby teeth begin falling out as permanent teeth push through. This is typically the most intense chewing period as puppies experience discomfort from loose teeth and erupting adult teeth.
6-8 Months: Most puppies have their full set of 42 adult teeth. However, some dogs continue teething until 9-10 months, especially larger breeds.
During the teething process, puppies experience gum discomfort, inflammation, and itching. Chewing provides relief and helps loosen baby teeth. This natural behavior becomes problematic when puppies choose inappropriate items like furniture, shoes, or electrical cords.
Teething Symptoms and Signs
Recognizing teething helps you respond appropriately rather than punishing normal developmental behavior. Common signs include:
Increased Chewing: Puppies chew more frequently and intensely during teething. They may chew anything available regardless of appropriateness.
Blood on Toys: Small amounts of blood on chew toys are normal as teeth loosen and fall out. However, excessive bleeding warrants veterinary attention.
Missing Teeth: You may find baby teeth around the house or notice gaps where teeth have fallen out. Occasionally baby teeth do not fall out as expected, requiring veterinary intervention.
Mouth Sensitivity: Teething puppies may be reluctant to eat hard food, play with toys using their mouth, or may drop items quickly when chewing.
Behavioral Changes: Some teething puppies become irritable, sleep more than usual, or seem slightly off their normal behavior. However, significant lethargy, loss of appetite, or fever are not normal teething signs and require veterinary evaluation.
Providing Appropriate Chew Options
The key to managing teething is providing plenty of appropriate chewing outlets while preventing inappropriate chewing through management and training.
Safe Chew Materials:
- Rubber toys like Kongs that can be stuffed with treats
- Rope toys for gentle chewing
- Soft plush toys specifically designed for teething puppies
- Frozen carrots or apple slices (supervise to prevent choking)
- Ice cubes or frozen washcloths for numbing relief
- Commercial teething toys designed for puppies
- Bully sticks and other natural chews appropriate for your puppy is size
Unsafe Items to Avoid:
- Anything harder than your teeth, including bones, antlers, and hard nylon toys
- Items that can break into sharp pieces
- Objects small enough to swallow whole
- Items that can cause intestinal blockage if ingested
- Anything treated with chemicals or dyes
Rotation System: Rotate toys every few days to maintain novelty. A “special” toy brought out only during intense teething periods can provide focused chewing.
Managing Discomfort
Cold Therapy: Cold helps numb sore gums. Wet rope toys and freeze them, or place toys in the freezer before offering. Frozen washcloths provide relief while being gentle on developing mouths.
Massage: Gently rubbing your puppy is gums with clean fingers can provide relief. Most puppies will lean into gentle gum massage, especially during peak teething periods.
Soft Food: If your puppy seems reluctant to eat hard kibble, soften it with warm water or broth during peak teething periods. This ensures adequate nutrition while accommodating mouth sensitivity.
Protecting Your Home
Supervision: Never leave a teething puppy unsupervised with access to inappropriate items. If you cannot actively supervise, confine your puppy to a puppy-proofed area with appropriate toys.
Puppy-Proofing: Remove or protect items your puppy might chew. Electrical cords, shoes, children is toys, and other tempting targets should be inaccessible. Use bitter apple spray or similar deterrents on furniture edges and other items that cannot be moved.
Crate Training: When you cannot supervise, a crate provides a safe space and prevents destructive chewing. Most puppies will not soil their sleeping area, so crates also aid house training. Ensure the crate contains appropriate chew items.
Exercise: A tired puppy is a good puppy. Provide plenty of physical exercise and mental stimulation to reduce inappropriate chewing from boredom or excess energy.
Training Appropriate Chewing
Redirect Immediately: When you catch your puppy chewing something inappropriate, immediately interrupt with a verbal marker like “oops” and redirect to an appropriate chew toy. Praise enthusiastically when they continue chewing the appropriate item.
Teach “Leave It”: This command helps puppies release inappropriate items. Hold a treat in your closed hand and wait for your puppy to stop trying to get it. When they back off or look away, mark and reward. Practice until they reliably leave items on cue.
Name the Chew: Teach specific toy names like “bone” or “rope” to help your puppy learn which items are appropriate. This also helps with redirection—asking for a specific toy gives your puppy a clear alternative to inappropriate chewing.
Retained Baby Teeth
Monitor your puppy is mouth as baby teeth fall out and adult teeth emerge. Occasionally baby teeth do not fall out as expected, particularly the canine teeth. This can cause dental problems including misalignment, tartar buildup, and gum irritation.
If you notice a double row of teeth, especially after 6 months, consult your veterinarian. Retained baby teeth typically require removal to prevent dental issues. This is often done during spay/neuter surgery to avoid additional anesthesia.
When to See a Vet
Seek veterinary attention if you notice:
- Excessive bleeding from the mouth
- Difficulty eating or complete loss of appetite
- Extreme lethargy or behavioral changes
- Signs of pain when the mouth is touched
- Facial swelling or discharge from the mouth
- Retained baby teeth beyond 7 months
- Any adult teeth that do not erupt as expected
Most teething discomfort is normal and manageable at home. However, extreme pain, significant bleeding, or behavioral changes warrant veterinary evaluation to rule out complications.
Beyond Teething
The chewing habits established during teething often continue into adulthood. Continue providing appropriate chew options and reinforcing good chewing choices throughout your dog is first year.
Many adult dogs continue to enjoy chewing as stress relief and entertainment. Maintaining a supply of safe, appropriate chews prevents destructive chewing from boredom or anxiety later in life.
Teething is a temporary phase that passes with patience and appropriate management. The chew training and habits established during this period benefit your dog throughout their life.